Scotland's Economy
Support for larger self-catering properties and B&Bs
January 21, 2021 by admin 23 Comments | Category Tourism
Details of support for larger self-catering properties and B&Bs paying council tax have been confirmed by Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing.
The £7 million Large Self-Catering Grant and the Exclusive Use Grant was announced as part of the £104 million tourism and hospitality package in December. Eligible self–catering businesses will be able to apply for one off grant support of £2,000. Eligible exclusive use premises will be able to apply for £10,000 in grant support.
All self-catering properties, B&Bs and guest houses that are eligible at Level 4 for Non Domestic Rates can now apply to the Strategic Framework Business Fund, which provides grants for businesses required to close by law as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. In most cases this will be payments of £2,000 every four weeks.
Mr Ewing confirmed that support equivalent to the Strategic Framework Business Fund will also now be available to B&Bs which do not pay Non Domestic Rates but pay council tax. This support will be paid by local authorities.
Following the announcement that islands businesses will receive support equivalent to Level 4 and top-up payments for Hospitality, Retail and Leisure, local authorities will be paying the equivalent of up to £3,000 every four weeks to self-catering and other accommodation providers on the islands, details of which will be published shortly. If they meet the criteria, they will also be eligible for the Large Self-Catering Grant (seven or more guests) and the Exclusive Use Grants.
Tourism Secretary Fergus Ewing said:
“It is clear that some larger self-catering properties have been uniquely impacted, initially by the rule restricting the number of guests to six from two households, and then by the single household rule.
“I am pleased to confirm the details of this extra support for self-catering businesses. This will be targeted directly where it is needed most, to those self-catering businesses that have been severely impacted by the restriction on household numbers. All self-catering and other accommodation providers are already in scope for regular payments from the SFBF and I would encourage business owners to make sure they have registered with their local authority for this support.”
Background
To be eligible for the support self-catering businesses must by on the NDR roll, and must be recorded by the rates assessor as sleeping seven or more guests.
To be eligible for exclusive use self-catering support, self-catering businesses must be listed on the NDR roll, as ‘exclusive use accommodation’.
If you believe your business to be eligible for these funds, but have not been contacted by the end of February, please contact your local authority.
Details of the Large Self-Catering Grant and the Exclusive Use Grant, and support for B&Bs paying Council tax rather than NDR can be found on the Find Business Support website.
Tags: B&B, self-catering, tourism
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Orkney Island council never invited me for self catering..sleeps 10-12 people
As usual, only cursory or un-structured thought has gone into the support payments. We have a B&B and received a grand total of £14,000 in 10 months – that doesn’t even cover the mortgage – and once the tier system is re-instated all support will cease.
We have no bookings until 2 nights in July, we’re in a small town with no industry/large employers to attract business guests. Why then, is the government putting every obstacle to our survival in place ?
At level three there’s virtually no tourist activity/travel allowed, international visitors will have to have deep pockets and endless time available and those intrepid guests that manage to break through the barriers will be in limbo anyway. Excellent conditions to get resounding reviews !
Unless more is done to support B&Bs all over Scotland, many of us will lose our businesses – we will also lose our home !
I dont understand why no one is replying to our comments & concerns. We are all very anxious & scared about the future of our businesses. This advice was published on 11th February & nothing else has happened since that date.
As usual B&B’s who pay Council Tax are being treated like second class citizens. We had to fight, jump through hoops and be means tested last year after equivalent properties paying NDR were handed grant straight away. Same thing happening this year! Apparently local council awaiting go ahead (and money) from Scottish Government. Then we’ll have to start arguing about Short Term Lets Licensing Proposal. By that time we’ll all be that hacked off we’ll probably all just shut up shop. Watch Scottish tourism collapse then and who will be blamed?
Does leaving a comment and giving our email address mean that we will be contacted regarding the grant? I notice the details have now been changed to include islands that are not level 4 which is good news. But how we obtain the grant I have no idea?
When should we expect to hear from our local council regarding the bed and breakfast grant?, it’s available from 15th February and not heard anything as yet………. 10 days down the line. This is an anxious time for everyone and this is made worse by not knowing when we will be contacted.
The grant for B&B’s paying council tax is still not yet available via highland council. There is no list of b&b’s in Scotland and the council website says b&b’s should NOT get in touch with them. This was announced as being for B&B’s that haven’t received any grants previously yet the ones on NDR will be getting this automatically as they received funds in spring 2020. So how long are we to wait for this and will we actually receive the funds and be backdated to January as it states on the websites..
I have just read I will be contacted, no one has contacted us, our B & B on its knees I don’t know how much longer we will be here.
I am trying to apply but just keep going round in circles.
I have heard nothing further since my last comment.
Im concerned that there has been no further updates on this. As no invites have came form local authorities & no updates on line as to how we can apply for this support
When will this information and criteria for this grant be updated?
Ive not heard anything about this support yet. They said we should be invited by 15th February. What do I had to do to apply for this support.
I have a self catering business which has not qualified for any funding as it takes a maximum of six persons. As it is self contained but adjoining my house it does not qualify for Business Rates but isassessed for Council Tax.
I would like to know what I may qualify for as everyone I speak to seems to qualify for some type of funding
Nothing is being done to help small self-catering businesses that pay
Council Taxes instead of getting free rates !
We are not covered by any of these new grants and have had no help
since March 2020 !
Falling through the cracks yet again !
My B&B is currently in level 3 meaning I cannot receive financial support?
This seems rather illogical as there is no one that can actually visit, as it is illegal to go on holiday!
Hi I’m required for this grant thanks
With the announcement today that the “exclusive use grant” & the “Large self catering grant” are now open.
Can someone please finally tell me if we as owners of a small glamping pod site in Morayshire (4 x luxury glamping pods, each of which can sleep up to 2 adults and 2 kids) are eligible to receive either of these 2 grants? Its not a trick question! I have so far asked my local MP, local MSP, Finance secretary and also a previous message to this thread, not one reply so far that actually answers the question…
Can someone please reply with an answer as to whether we as a small glamping pod (4 x pods – combined sleeping 8 adults and up to 8 kids) site in Moray fall in to either category to receive the one of the 2 grants previously mentioned? Large Self-Catering Grant (seven or more guests) & Exclusive Use Grants. This is our only source of income and we are going further and further into debt.
Can you confirm that the additional top up payment “U turn” now means that my guest house which can host 12 persons will now no longer receive this grant?
Why have we been leftt out again we are a business the same as the rest. We have had no money coming in for over 10 months we still have bills to pay we are a selfcatering business why have we been left out the top up scheme when hotels are getting it not fair.
What support is there for Council Tax payers with one bedroom self-catering B&B?
This is very confusing.
1.Our house sleeps eight. It pays NDR. The guests have exclusive use.
On the face of it , it is eligible for the L10000 grant. There is no
” exclusive use accommodation ” category in the valuation roll, it is classed as self catering. The concept of exclusive use is implicit in the Council tax regulations.
Thus it seems that if one pays NDR you are eligible.
2. We also seem to qualify for the large self catering grant. It does not say how much it is. Presumably, we cannot get both.
3,Much clarification is needed.